


For Want of a Familiar

by SchalaDresdan



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Familiar Phichit, M/M, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Summoning, Warlock Chris, YOI Spooky Week 2018, witches/warlocks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 20:03:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16456361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SchalaDresdan/pseuds/SchalaDresdan
Summary: Magic is real. Humans that practice magic are known as witches and warlocks, with great power over the elements. These humans gather into covens, for protection and knowledge.But Christophe is a rebel. He has no desire to join a coven. So, in a bid to better protect himself, he decides to summon a familiar. He hopes that a familiar will grant him the added power and protection to keep the covens at bay, and allow him to remain an individual.He didn’t expect to summon Phichit.(More Yuri on Ice pairings to be added later)





	1. The Summoning

Christophe carefully finished the last sigil in the complex summoning circle. He stood, carefully reviewing his work.  _ If I screw this up, the consequences could be dire. The grimoire said that even one wrong detail could lead to disaster. It could be anything from just nothing happening, to losing my immortal soul… _

_ … Am I sure that I still want to do this? _

Chris walked carefully around the summoning circle, back to the grimoire resting on a book stand. He poured over the meticulous instructions one last time.  _ Like I need to review it. I’ve read it a million times. What am I even looking for? _

_ Maybe a reason to do this?  _ He smirked.  _ Or a reason to pack it in and forget about it completely. But after what happened last week… _

_ Those witches attacked me without provocation. One I could have handled, with ease. My spells are more powerful than theirs. But, I didn’t see the second witch. And, my wards leave a little to be desired… _

Chris rubbed the spot on his ribs, still bruised by the second attack.  _ I just barely got away. Damn it, I’m almost 100% sure that this was all Giles’ idea. Trying to force me into his coven. _

Chris took a deep, steadying breath. He picked up the stone dagger lying on the work table, checking it once again to make sure that the blade was clean.  _ I don’t want to join a coven. I don’t like the idea of being forced to do anything. I want to stay my own person. And to do that, I need the extra power and protection that a familiar will afford me. _

Chris stood just outside of the summoning circle. He held out his left arm over the circle, the sleeve of his shirt rolled up to his elbow. He grasped the dagger in his right hand, and carefully pierced his own skin at the wrist. He allowed the blood to fall onto the sigils, causing them to glow with power.

_ It’s too late to back out now. It has begun. I just hope that I summon a familiar that will be powerful enough to help me… _

***

Phichit sighed.  _ I hate this. I hate being here. I hate… that they always send me back… _

He pulled his knees in tight to his chest. He tried not to think the thoughts that swirled through his head nearly every moment of every day he spent in this place. This wasteland in between dimensions, the home of the familiars.

Phichit’s ears twitched as another familiar approached him. He looked up.  _ Oh, it’s Emil. He’s been called, and kept, a few times. _

Emil asked, “You’re still here? I thought you were called…?”

Phichit’s ears flattened to the top of his head. He wrapped his tail around his legs as he shook his head. “No, that was some time ago. And… she sent me back. As soon as she could. She said that she had no use for a weak familiar like me…”

Emil rested his finger on his chin. He asked. “I don’t remember anyone else getting called after that. Who did she end up with?”

Phichit sighed. “Her second attempt failed. She died.”

Emil hissed in a breath. “Oh, that’s harsh. But it kind of serves her right. Stupid humans.”

Emil sat down next to Phichit with a soft huff. He asked, “Don’t humans understand that we have to be summoned to gain power? Since no one has ever kept you, of course you’ve never moved past this form.”

Phichit felt a tear work its way down his face. “I know. I… I almost don’t want to be summoned again. I don’t think that I can take another rejection… How did you get your first master to keep you?”

“My first master? He was young. I think… he didn’t know any better than to keep me.”

Phichit sniffled.  _ My first master was an awful man. Once he realized just how useless I was to him, he locked me in a room, where I couldn’t ‘mess anything up until I could be sent back.’ _

_ If that is how humans treat us, I don’t want to be summoned again… _

Emil sighed. “I know that you’ve had it rough so far, but don’t give up. Okay? You’ve only been summoned twice.”

“And sent back immediately both times…”

Emil grimaced. “And that is their loss. The next one will know better.”

Phichit said, “I don’t want a next one. If I’m only going to be sent back within a month, I would rather not go at all. It’s not like either of my ‘masters’ have treated me well. They treated me like an object, a tool.”

Emil smiled. “Then it is for the best that they didn’t keep you. Come on, chin up. Let’s believe that, like the humans say, the third time will be the charm. Let’s believe that the next master to summon you will want to keep you.”

Phichit nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll try.”

Emil’s smile widened. “Good. And hopefully you won’t have to wait too long. I think that your turn in the rotation is before mine, and mine is coming up soon, I know.”

Phichit said, “Yes, I think I might be next.”

“Ah, so that is why you are so down about this.”

Phichit sighed. “Yes, it’s just the stress of waiting. Not knowing when I’ll be summoned…”

Phichit stopped mid sentence as a familiar and terrifying tugging feeling overtook him. His eyes widened in shock tinged with fear. “It’s happening now. I’m being summoned.”

Emil grinned. “Then, good luck. And I hope that I don’t see you for a good long while.”

Phichit could feel his body fading out as he replied, “Thanks, Emil…”

***

The summoning circle filled with a strange smoke, one that stopped at the edges of the circle itself. Christophe fought the urge to step back.  _ I need to hold my ground. The grimoire was adamant concerning that. It stated that the whole spell could go poorly if the familiar sensed fear in the caster at any time. That it could manipulate that fear.  _

Christophe set his mouth into a firm line.  _ Whatever it is that appears in that circle, I will not fear it. No matter how terrible its visage, I will not back down… _

The smoke started to dissipate. As the smoke cleared, Christophe caught his first glimpse of the creature that he had summoned.

_ Oh, it looks almost like a human… _

Christophe studied the familiar, who was seated on the floor, his knees pulled up into his chest.  _ He looks so exotic, with his tan skin. And his hair and eyes are both so dark… _

_ But his ears… They’re like a cat’s ears. And ruddy colored, like his… tail? _

_ He has a fluffy tail… _

_ Do all familiars look like this? _

The familiar took a deep breath and said tentatively, “I know. I’m not what you wanted. I’m… weak. Don’t worry, you can send me back in a month and try again…”

Christophe cocked his head to the side as he replied, “How do you know what I wanted? I’m not even sure that  _ I  _ knew what I wanted when I summoned you. Let us see how the month plays out before we make any rash decisions, hmm?”

The familiar sighed.  _ Oh, he’s being nice. That’s somehow worse… _

Christophe said, “My name is Christophe Giacometti. You can call me Chris, if you like.” He paused for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck, before asking, “Um, so do familiars have names, or…?”

The familiar nodded. “I have a name. It’s Phichit.”  _ He’s the first master to ask. Maybe he’ll be different? No, I can’t afford to get my hopes up. It will just hurt more when he sends me back… _

Christophe smiled. “Phichit. Let’s go sit in my study. It will be far more comfortable than sitting in here. And I can dress this wound.”

He gestured to the still bleeding puncture wound on his wrist. Phichit frowned slightly.  _ Oh, that’s right. They have to use their own blood to perform the summoning. _

Phichit carefully uncurled his legs and stood. He asked, “So, I can leave the circle?”  _ The last one was so disappointed in me that she left me, unable to leave the summoning circle, until finally one of the sigils was accidentally erased two days later… _

Christophe nodded. “Of course.”

Phichit smiled slightly as he crossed the edge of the circle, moving closer to Christophe. Phichit looked up at him, and thought,  _ Gods, he’s tall. And handsome, for a human. No, stop that. It will only make it hurt worse. _

Phichit said quietly, “I… can’t do much, but I have some small… healing abilities? I might be able to heal your wrist.”

Christophe smiled. “Really? That would be great. I haven’t learned any healing spells yet.”

Christophe held out his arm, the wound on his wrist turned up. Blood was still seeping from the wound, running down his wrist to drip on the floor. Christophe grimaced. “I may have cut it a little too deep…”

Phichit nodded.  _ He’s lucky that he called me, then. All familiars know a little healing, and basic shielding and wards, but not all of them would offer to use them so freely. I can think of a few off the top of my head that would see the benefit of him bleeding out right now… _

He held his hand over the wound and concentrated.  _ It has been a long time since I tried to use a spell. There is rarely any need in the void… _

The area around the wound glowed. Christophe’s eyes grew wide as he watched the skin stitch itself back together. All that was left was a tiny, faded scar. Phichit sighed in relief.  _ I did it. Thank the Gods. I wasn’t completely sure that I remembered how. _

Chris flexed his wrist experimentally. He said, “Thank you. Now, please. Follow me. I have some questions for you, if you don’t mind?”

Phichit shrugged. “I’m your familiar. It’s not like I have much of a choice, do I? Master?”

Christophe started. “I wouldn’t make you do anything that you didn’t want to do. And please, call me Chris.”

Phichit said quietly, “And yet, you summoned me here. Against my will…”

Christophe sighed.  _ This is not starting well. He seems to want to go back. But at the same time his eyes… _

_ It seems like his eyes are begging me to let him stay. _


	2. Questions and Answers

Christophe sighed as he settled back into his chair. Phichit was sitting gingerly in the one directly across from him. Christophe noticed that his ears were twitching slightly, and his tail was moving erratically, showing his discomfort.

_ Why is he uncomfortable? Is it something that I did? Am I not behaving correctly? Damn, I really jumped into this thing blind. _

Christophe tapped his finger against his chin. “I admit that I don’t know much about familiars. Information about your kind is very rare. I think it is hoarded mostly within a few prominent families and covens. Needless to say, I am not a member of one of those. I was lucky to find a reliable source for the summoning circle.”

Phichit started.  _ What was he thinking? You can’t just summon something with so little knowledge. What if I wasn’t… What if he had summoned one of the stronger familiars? _

_ What if he had accidentally summoned something that wasn’t a familiar at all? _

Phichit asked, “So, you don’t know anything?”

Chris shook his head. “Not much, I’m afraid.”

“Then why did you summon me?”

Chris sighed. “I need help. And I abhor the idea of joining a coven.”

Phichit smirked slightly.  _ He’s unconventional. I’ll give him that.  _ Phichit studied the man sitting across from him.  _ I can tell that he has immense magical power. I wonder how much of it he has learned to use? _

“How about this? First, I’ll answer one of your questions, and then you have to answer one of mine. Either of us can pass on a question.” Phichit sighed slightly. “Because there are some things that I can’t tell you, even if I wanted to…”

Christophe nodded. “So, basically we’re going to play twenty questions? That seems fair. First question, then. We call you familiars. But, what do you call yourselves? What manner of creatures are you?”

Phichit’s ears perked up.  _ Straight to the heart of the matter, I see. So be it.  _ “The closest equivalent in any lore humans have would be a pooka. It’s one of our base forms. All of us have a pooka form. And we all have one other form, a kind of power-saving form if you will. I’ll… show you later.”

“As we become more powerful, so do our forms. And I… only have the base forms…”

Christophe asked, “So, what do you want me to call you?”

Phichit replied, “Just call me by my name. Phichit.”

Christophe smiled, and Phichit felt a strange tightening in his chest.  _ No, you definitely cannot fall for the human. No matter how nice, and caring, and… handsome… he might seem. He’ll only break your heart when he sends you back in a month’s time… _

“Okay, Phichit. Your question?”

Phichit’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of his name coming from the human’s lips.  _ Seriously, get a hold of yourself… _

Phichit took a deep breath. “What year is it?”

Christophe tilted his head, confused. “That’s your question? Hmm, I was expecting something more… invasive. It’s 1892. Why did you want to know?”

_ Why didn’t you already know? And why is it important to you? _

Phichit replied, “In between summons, we live in a void. Time has no meaning there.”

“That sounds terrible.”

Phichit shrugged. “There are others there. It’s… comfortable.”  _ It’s preferable to being summoned, just to be sent back. To being treated like rubbish. Gods, please let him keep me… _

Phichit gestured to Chris. “I won’t count that as your question. Your turn.”

Chris nodded. He rubbed the new scar on his wrist.  _ He said that he was a weak familiar. And yet… he healed this so easily…  _ “You know some healing magic… What else can you do?”

Phichit sucked in a breath.  _ He doesn’t even know that? Gods… _

“Um, besides healing… I can create and maintain wards and shields. I haven’t developed any offensive abilities yet…”

Chris nodded. “Okay…”  _ That’s good. He should be able to help me. _

Phichit asked, “How about you? What magic can you cast?”

Chris sighed. “I’ve not been studying magic for very long, and most of it has been self-instructed. So, I know mostly offensive spells. Fireballs, calling lightening, and the like.”

Christophe wrinkled his nose in distaste. “I have a feeling that is why Giles wants me to join his coven. So that he can use me as a weapon against others. But, I don’t want to hurt anyone. I only use my magic to defend myself…”

Phichit looked at Christophe in surprise.  _ My skills… fit his perfectly…? Maybe he’ll want to keep me after all… _

_ And he seems like a nice guy, too. Maybe I’ll want to stay… _

Chris said, “My turn now. Hmm…” He snapped his fingers. “I know! What do you eat?”

Phichit sputtered, “Wait, what?”

Chris smiled. “I want to make sure that I take good care of you. So I need to know what to make for you… Or, do you eat?”

Phichit smiled. “Um, I  _ can _ eat. I… just never have? We don’t need to eat to survive. And my previous masters never bothered to feed me anything. So, I don’t know?”

Chris tilted his head slightly.  _ I have the distinct feeling that his previous masters were not good to him. It pains me that he was ill-treated. I will have to do all that I can to make him feel at ease. _

“Well, I guess that we’ll just have to try out different things until we find something that you like.”

Phichit grinned. “That sounds great!” He thought for a moment.  _ What else do I want to know right now? I have a feeling that Christophe is an open book. That’s dangerous for him. He should keep his secrets closer to his chest. He needs a tutor… _

“Why haven’t you been taught?”

Chris shrugged. “There was no one to teach me. My great aunt left me this house, and I found the grimoire in the library. I thought it would be fun to try out a few spells” He chuckled, a humorless sound. “Imagine my surprise when the spells that I tried actually worked.”

Phichit tilted his head slightly.  _ He didn’t know that he had magic? A power as strong as his went unchecked? For how long? _

Chris said, “My turn. Do familiars need to sleep?”

Phichit said. “We do. And we sleep about as long as humans do. But, my other form is small, so I don’t need a large place to sleep. Just something small, like the size of a pillow, would be large enough.”

Chris eyed Phichit warily.  _ He’s mentioned his other form twice, but not what it is. I think I know what my next question will be… _

Phichit asked, “How long have you been studying magic?”

Chris shrugged. “Two years, give or take.”

Phichit hesitated. “Can I have a follow up question?”

Chris nodded.

Phichit asked, “How long has that other warlock been trying to get you to join his coven?”

Chris sighed irritably. “Giles has been pressuring me to join his coven for the last year. Since he found out that I was here. But it has only been in the last few weeks that he’s gotten… aggressive… with his tactics.”

Chris pulled up his shirt to reveal a dark purple bruise bigger than two handbreadths on his ribs. Phichit hissed in a breath. “What happened?”

“I was attacked in the village. About a week ago. Two witches blindsided me. I was outnumbered, and I just barely escaped.”

Chris allowed his shirt to fall back into place. “I can’t prove it, but I am almost sure that Giles is behind the attack. I feel like he was trying to prove to me that I am not strong enough to go it alone, and that I should join his coven for safety.”

Phichit said, “But in reality, he wants to exploit your power.”  _ Because you are much stronger than you think you are, and any coven leader worth his salt would be able to tell. _

Chris nodded. “Yes, I think so.” He cleared his throat. “Okay, my turn. What is your second form?”

Phichit squirmed a little in his chair. “Um… I could tell you, but it might be easier to show you? And, once I shift forms, I’ll probably be stuck like that for a while. It takes a lot of magic for me to change back to this form.”

Chris said, “That’s okay. As long as… you’re not dangerous in your second form, are you?”

Phichit shook his head. “No, I’m not dangerous.”  _ Plus, familiars are forbidden from directly harming their masters... _

“Will we still be able to communicate?”

Phichit nodded. “With your permission, I can talk to you telepathically. You can still speak aloud and I’ll understand you. Later, if you like, I could probably teach you to answer telepathically.”  _ If you keep me around long enough… _

Chris said, “You won’t be reading my mind, right?”

Phichit shook his head. “No, I can’t read your mind. Telepathic speech is completely different.”

Chris nodded. “Okay, then I am fine with that.” He paused for a moment. “One last question: does it hurt when you change?”

“No, it doesn’t hurt. It just takes a lot of magic to shift back to this. And if I expend too much of my magic, I will revert to that form, whether I want to or not.”

Christophe nodded gravely. “That sounds… inconvenient. I take it that you prefer this form to the other, then?”

Phichit nodded. “My other form is… limiting…”  _ And since I was summoned last, I’ve not needed to take it. This is going to be rough… _

Christophe said, “You don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to.”

Phichit sighed. “No, it’s okay. I’m starting to feel a little worn out, anyway.”  _ Being summoned takes a lot out of us, and then I used that spell to heal his wrist… I would have to change soon regardless. _

Phichit took a deep breath as he rose to his feet. He let it out slowly as he felt his body start to tingle with the transformation.  _ That tingling sensation is the only warning I get if my body is forced to change. I need to reacquaint myself with my limitations outside of the void. _

Phichit closed his eyes, knowing that what was coming next would be disorienting if he tried to keep them open. A small tendril of smoke appeared at Phichit’s feet and slowly snaked its way up his body until he was completely blocked from view. He could feel his body shrinking as the smoke surrounded him. His hands hit the floor as they changed, leaving him standing on four legs instead of two. Phichit sneezed as the smoke began to clear.

The first thing that he saw was Christophe, staring at him with his mouth agape. Phichit’s ears flattened to the top of his head.  _ Oh, he doesn’t like it… Will he send me back because my second form is a cat? _

Phichit mewled sadly as he said into Christophe’s mind,  _ “You don’t like it…” _

Chris started.  _ Oh, no. He thinks that I don’t like his cat form? He’s adorable… But can I tell him that without him getting offended? _

Chris slid out of his chair and onto the floor next to Phichit. “No, that’s not it at all. I like cats. But…”

Phichit took a tentative step towards Chris.  _ “But what?” _

“Why didn’t you tell me that your second form was a cat? Here I was afraid that you were going to turn into a wolf, or a bear, or some manner of snake…”

Phichit tilted his head as he moved closer to Chris.  _ “Really? Do you really like it?” _

Chris nodded as he held a hand out towards Phichit. “Yes, of course. You have a lovely cat form, Phichit. Your ruddy fur is such a pretty color. And your black facial markings are striking.”

Phichit’s eyes shone with delight as he stepped up to Chris’s hand. He sniffed Chris’s hand and thought,  _ He smells good. Like I can trust him. Not like my past masters. But… If I get too attached to him, if I trust him, it will only hurt that much more when he decides to send me back at the end of the month. _

Phichit lightly bumped Chris’s hand with his head. Chris looked at Phichit and asked, “Is it okay? Can I, or would that be disrespectful?”

Phichit meowed.  _ “If you what? Pet me?” _

Chris nodded.

Phichit sighed.  _ He has no idea how… intimate… that is for a familiar. But I guess most humans wouldn’t know. And honestly, I kind of want him to. I just get this feeling from him. And the way that he smells… I want to… but… _

The reply, when it came, was so quiet in Chris’s mind that he almost believed that he had made it up.  _ “...okay…” _

Chris took his hand and curled his fingers behind one of Phichit’s ears. He scratched at the base of the ear gently. Phichit leaned into the contact and felt an unfamiliar feeling rumble through his chest.  _ What in the world… Oh. I’m purring… _

Chris’s face lit up in delight.  _ He’s so happy that he’s purring. This is such an improvement. Maybe, at this rate, I can convince him to stay at the end of the month. But, if at the end of the month he wishes to go home, I will not keep him here against his will. _

Chris removed his hand to move it to the other ear. The loss of the stabilizing hand made Phichit stumble and nearly fall. He looked up at Chris and said,  _ “Don’t stop, please…” _

Chris smiled. “I didn’t plan on it. I just thought you would like to have the other ear scratched, too.”

Phichit mewled in delight, his ears straight up in excitement.  _ “Yes, please!” _

Chris chuckled. He reached around to the other ear, scratching it with as much enthusiasm as the first.  _ I want to keep him. He’s a good fit for my abilities. And I think that he could help teach me magic, or at least help me find a mentor that I can trust. But what if he doesn’t want me? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phichit's cat form is modeled off of a ruddy Somali. They are basically a long-haired Abyssinian. Ruddy Somalis are reddish colored with dark facial marks. They have a full plume tail, and are often called "fox cats." They are also athletic and high energy, which describes Phichit to a T!
> 
> The next chapter is not written yet, but I hope that it will not be that long of a wait. My goal for November is to make sure that all of my WIPs get updated at least once.


	3. I Put a Spell on You

Chris sighed as he moved into his bedroom.  _ What am I going to do about sleeping arrangements? I really didn’t think this through very well before I decided to summon him. _

Phichit padded quietly after Christophe, loathe to let him out of his sight.  _ The poor guy knows next to nothing about protecting himself. And until I can get wards around the house, it is for the best that I stay with him as much as possible. I can’t cast spells, or set new wards, in this form. But, I can try protect him. Somehow. _

Phichit mewed to get Chris’s attention.  _ “What are you doing?” _

Chris sighed and scratched his head. “I’m trying to figure out where you are going to sleep tonight. This is the only bed I’ve got, and I hate to make you sleep on the floor…”  _ Even if you are technically a cat right now… _

Phichit sat, curling his tail over his feet.  _ He’s really concerned. My former masters treated me like a pest. But he seems to really care for my well being. Maybe… _

_ No, stop that. He’s going to send you back at the end of the month and try for a stronger familiar. He’d be a fool not to… _

_ “I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.” _

Chris turned his head to look at Phichit. “ _ I  _ mind. You shouldn’t have to.”

He sighed. “I really should have thought ahead more. Then I could have had a bed ready for you.”

_ “It’s okay.”  _ Phichit moved closer to Chris.  _ I want to stay close to him anyway, and if that means sleeping on his bedroom floor, so be it. _

_ He is my master, and it is my duty to protect him, until he sends me back. _

Chris shook his head. “No, it’s not. I don’t even have a spare pillow for you.”

Chris sighed. “You’re going to have to sleep on my bed with me tonight. And then tomorrow we’ll think of a better solution.”

Phichit went still.  _ “What?” _

_ He wants me to sleep in the same bed as him? No, this can’t be happening. Gods, this is going to make things so much harder… _

Chris slowly said, “Of course, that is only if it is okay with you. The bed is plenty large enough. I could just stay on one side and let you have the other…”

“I just… want you to be comfortable.”

Phichit looked up in surprise.  _ He’s really that concerned for me? Why? I’m worthless… _

Chris said, “So, is that a no? Should I just sleep in the study? There’s a couch in there, and you can have the bed…”

Phichit let out a quiet mewl.  _ “No… I was just surprised. That’s all. I’m okay with sharing the bed…” _

_ If I could blush as a cat, I would be bright red right now. I can’t believe that this is real. It is like a dream. _

Chris smiled warmly.  _ He’s so adorable. Is he embarrassed? But… it’s like he feels the need to stay close to me. I wonder why? _

Chris sat down on the bed. He said, “We should probably call it a night, then. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow I’ll need to go into town.”

_ “Why?” _

“Well, I usually go a few times a week to buy food. And, if I’m going to fill a mattress for you, I’ll need some cotton to stuff it with.”

Phichit jumped onto the bed. He moved next to Chris and curled his tail around his feet.  _ “I don’t need a bed. I’m okay with sharing a bed with you, or even sleeping on a pillow on the floor.” _

Chris arched an eyebrow as he asked, “Are you sure?”  _ How badly was he mistreated? It must have been bad, if he thinks that common courtesies are unnecessary… _

_ “I’m sure.” _

***

The Next Morning

Phichit yawned and stretched his arms as he followed Chris into the kitchen.  _ It has been a while since I had to revert to my cat form. I forgot how long it takes to readjust after I turn back. _

Chris grabbed a few eggs off of the counter as he walked past. “Are fried eggs okay for breakfast? I still have some bread left, so we can have some of it, too.”

Phichit cocked his head slightly to the side. “I’ve never had any food before, so this will be an adventure to me.”

Chris nodded “Okay, then. Let’s see if you like eggs.”

As Chris moved around the kitchen, preparing the eggs, Phichit asked, “How are we going to town? Are we walking? Or do you have a horse?”

_ Can I stay in this form? Or do I have to revert to my cat form? _

Chris chuckled. “Neither.”

Phichit sat on a stool sitting next to the island in the middle of the kitchen. He asked,  _ “ _ Neither? Then, how?”

_ He doesn’t know any teleportation spells, does he? I think he would have mentioned that. And even if he did, spells like that can go awry very easily. Not to mention that it would undoubtedly draw a lot of unwanted attention… _

Chris replied, “I have a bicycle. We’ll go to town on it. As long as you are in your cat form, you can ride in the basket easily.”

Phichit quirked his head slightly. “What’s a bicycle?”

Chris smiled. “Oh, I guess that they are something new since you’ve been here last? I could try to explain it to you, but I think it would be easier to just show you. Are you going to be alright with staying in your cat form while we go to town?”

Phichit said quietly. “I would prefer to be in this form…”

_ I could protect him that way. I only have my teeth and claws in that form. I can’t use my magic. And I haven’t had a chance to cast any shields or wards on him yet… _

“Why? Is that form distasteful?”

Phichit’s tail flicked in irritation.  _ I guess I should just tell him the truth. He needs to know my limitations. Even though… _

_ If he knows just how useless I am, he’ll just want to send me back… _

Phichit looked up at Chris. “I can’t use my magic in that form. I  _ can _ maintain wards and shields that have already been set, but I can’t cast any new ones.” He looked away as he added, “I can’t protect you…”

Chris tapped his finger on his chin as he thought. He snapped his fingers as he moved the frying pan off of the stove. “I have an idea.”

Phichit leaned forward eagerly. “What is it?”

Chris grabbed two clean plates out of the cupboard and slid two fried eggs off onto each plate. He added a thick slice of brown bread, slathered with butter, to each plate. He set one plate down in front of Phichit and handed him a fork.

Chris picked up his fork and cut into his eggs as he said, “What if you cast some shields or wards, and then reverted back to cat form? You said that casting magic wears you out, and that you can maintain spells like that. It seems like a win-win.”

Phichit thought for a moment.  _ That… might actually work. I was already trying to figure out how to cast the spells that I need to use to protect him without exhausting myself too much. This might be the perfect solution. _

_ Maybe we are a good match for each other…? _

“I think that would work.”

Chris smiled widely. “Great! After breakfast, you can spellcast to your heart’s content. We’ll plan on going to town this afternoon, so as to be home before dark.”

***

Phichit took a deep breath as he studied Chris, seated in a chair in the middle of the workroom.  _ I need to concentrate. This is my chance to prove myself useful to him. If I can convince Chris that I can be of use to him, perhaps he’ll decide to let me stay. I can’t afford to mess this up. _

Chris waited patiently for Phichit to begin.  _ I wonder what familiar magic looks like? Does it require incantations or rituals like human magic? Last night he used that healing spell on my wrist… He didn’t use an incantation for that. Does all of his magic work like that? _

Phichit said, “I’m going to try to place a basic mental shield on you, and a magic ward. It won’t stop everything, but at least no other witch can attempt to read your mind, and the ward will absorb some magic. I can add more later, if you decide that you want them.”

Chris paled. “Do you mean to tell me that all of this time, there have been people with the ability to read my mind? And I’ve been unprotected?”

Phichit nodded. “I’m afraid so. But after this, you shouldn’t have to worry about it again.”

Chris asked, “So, how does this work? Do you need me to do anything?”

“No, just stay as still as you can, and stay quiet? I have to concentrate.”

Chris nodded.  _ I can do that.   _

Phichit closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let it out slowly through his mouth.  _ I’ve never done this before. Or, I’ve never cast it on someone else. Can I do this? _

_ I know that it can be done, from listening to other familiars. So I  _ **_should_ ** _ be able to. I just need to concentrate, and push my magic out towards Christophe… _

_ Will I have enough to set both the shield and the ward? Or will my magic run out? _

Phichit opened his eyes and stepped closer to Chris. He held one hand out towards Chris, hovering slightly above the man. His fingers were splayed out, and his other hand grasped his forearm to hold it steady. A soft glow surrounded Phichit’s hand.

Chris sucked in a surprised breath.  _ He doesn’t need an incantation or anything. That’s amazing. I remember that he did the same thing last night, both when he healed me and when he transformed, so does that mean that familiars don’t need to speak to use their magic at all? _

The glow left Phichit’s fingertips and settled over Chris, spreading out over him. Chris sighed as it settled around him.  _ It feels comforting, like being wrapped in a warm blanket. Or a lover’s arms… _

Chris shook his head slightly.  _ Now is definitely not the time to think of such things… _

Phichit swayed slightly. Chris stood in alarm and grasped his arm in an attempt to steady him. “Are you all right? Here, sit for a minute.”

Phichit allowed Chris to gently push him down into the chair. Phichit fought back the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes.  _ Why? Why am I so weak? I should be able to cast a simple spell without nearly passing out… _

Chris knelt down so that he was eye level with Phichit. “There’s no hurry. I don’t want you to hurt yourself. And besides, I’ve gone this long without wards. I’ll be fine.”

Phichit sniffled, trying to keep the tears at bay. “No, it’s not. You summoned me here to help you, and I can’t even manage this! I’m… I’m worthless…”

Chris took one of Phichit’s hands in his. “You are not worthless. I know nothing about wards. Hell, until five minutes ago, I didn’t even know that other witches might have been reading my mind. And now, thanks to you, I don’t have to worry about it. That  _ has _ to be a hard shield to maintain.”

Chris cleared his throat. “So teach it to me. Teach me how to shield my mind so that you don’t have to. So you can concentrate on other things.”

Phichit blinked away his tears in surprise. “What?”

Chris smiled. “Teach me. I want to learn.”

“I can probably teach you shielding, but anything else…” Phichit sighed. “I don’t know…”

“Then we’ll start with shielding.”

Phichit nodded. “I… I think I’m ready to try setting the ward? If you’re ready?”

Chris asked, “Are you sure? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Phichit nodded as he slowly stood. “Don’t worry. The worst thing that will happen is that I might revert to my cat form. And that would be okay.”

Chris narrowed his eyes.  _ No, it wouldn’t. I don’t want you exhausting yourself like that. _

Chris sat in the chair, keeping his tongue in check.  _ How poorly were you treated in the past? What did they do to you to make you feel so worthless? And is there anything I can do to convince you otherwise? _

Phichit took a deep breath, his brow wrinkling in concentration.  _ This should be easy. It is only a basic ward, to absorb some magic if Christophe were to be attacked. Much easier than the mental shield. I can do this… I think… _

Phichit held his hand out like before, fingers splayed slightly. He pushed his magic away from him, to surround Christophe.  _ Almost there, just a little bit more and the spell will be set… _

Chris watched, his eyes full of concern.  _ He is going pale, and is he swaying a little? I wish that he had not done this, but I’m also afraid to interrupt in the middle of the spell. I know that unfinished spells can have some pretty dire consequences… _

The ward settled over Chris. He sighed slightly as it settled over him, warm and comforting.

Phichit swayed where he stood, his face drained of color.  _ I did it…  _ His eyes rolled back in his head as he crumpled to the floor.

“Phichit!” Chris called out to him as he fell, but could not reach him in time to stop his fall. A strange smoke enveloped Phichit, causing Chris to jump back in alarm. When the smoke cleared, Phichit had reverted to his cat form.

_ He wore himself out, to this point, to protect me. Why? He barely knows me! _

Chris knelt down next to Phichit. He was breathing normally. Chris sighed in relief.  _ I can’t just leave him here on the floor. I should carry him into the bedroom. _

Chris gently gathered the unconscious cat in his arms.  _ He’s shivering. I need to cover him once I get him on the bed… _

He gently carried Phichit upstairs to his bedroom. Chris walked towards the bed and pulled the covers back from Phichit’s side. Then, he gently laid the cat down and covered him up, leaving only his head uncovered.

_ There. I only hope that that is enough. _

_ Please, let him be okay… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Phichit. He wants so badly to be useful...
> 
> Hopefully the next chapter won't take too long. I'm trying to write more, but with 7 WIPs and a few other, unpublished extra projects, it is difficult. Thank you for being patient with me!

**Author's Note:**

> So this was going to be a short fic, written for the Day 2 prompt of Spooky Week (Witches/Warlocks). But then two things became apparent: 1. It was going to take Chris and Phichit a little longer to get settled than I originally intended and 2. Other YOI pairings wanted to play in this universe too. So, here is another multi-chapter monster. It will get finished, eventually...
> 
> Check out my Tumblr page for updates on my fics: [ schaladresdan](http://schaladresdan.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are always appreciated.


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